Point of Articulation
by drakonlily
Summary: Sara and Nick have to work late. They don't exactly mix well, but opposites attract. [one shot]


Point of Articulation

Sara growled to herself. She hated working late. Not that she typically had anything else to do, but it always irked her when things didn't get done on time. People should be working ahead and early, not late. There was, however, nothing she could do about it; the evidence from their latest large case was piled up beyond any expectation. Four bodies, four different full sized dumpsters, they were sifting through everything.

Well, "they" would have been an operative term. Nick was late.

As usual.

She dropped a worse for wear sock into a glass container, letting the fumes wrap around it, just as she was starting to see something the door flew open.

"Howdy Sara!" Nick laughed from where he stood, balancing the door with his foot, a lap top under one arm and an extra large pizza balanced precariously on his other outstretched hand. "Thought we'd needa bite to eat."

"Thought we'd- Jesus Nick! You can't have that in here!" Sara snapped, jumping up and grabbing the pizza box before he set it on the counter. "Can't you be serious, for once in your damn life?"

Nick jumped backwards slightly, dark eyes going wide. "Woah woah there. What's you're problem?"

Sara sat the box down on the chair, rounding on her partner for the evening. "My problem? MY problem? I've been here for over thirty minutes waiting on you to show up so I can get some sleep tonight! That is my problem." She pushed her blonde hair behind her ear. "My problem is that you are irresponsible."

"Now wait just a damn minute. We didn't have to be here till a quarter after, that's only ten minutes ago. If you would have had your phone on, you would have known I was running late."

"If you wouldn't be so flighty, then I wouldn't have to have my phone on! God what is it with you? I swear, you think you're parents are going to take care of this for you too?"

That comment did it, Nick's eyes narrowed; he nearly dropped the expensive piece of equipment on the floor before stalking nose to nose with Sara. "What the hell was that supposed to mean?"

She leaned up, almost rising on her tiptoes to glare at him. "It means just what it sounds like, you're nothing more then a spoiled brat who's always had people looking out for him. You couldn't be here without someone else's hard work and help."

"Oh, as opposed to sticking my nose where it doesn't belong, alienating everyone who's ever wanted to help me and therefore staying at home every night I have off eating chunky monkey to B-rate movies?" He stalked forward again, larger frame causing Sara to fall backwards, bracing her hands on the empty table behind her. "Just because someone can actually interact with others you have to play high and mighty Harvard girl? Is that it?"

The gauntlet of emotions ran through Sara's face before her hand flew at Nick's. "How can you talk to me that way? After all the work I always do!?" She yelled, readying another strike.

This time, Nick was prepared for it; he grabbed her hand and forced it behind her back. Sara growled at him, raising her other hand and throwing a punch that grazed off his shoulder due to bad aim. Before she could hit him again, Nick secured her other wrist in his hand, throwing her back until the table dug into her hips from behind. Her hair fell back into her face, not doing much to hide the flare in her eyes.

He was breathing hard as well, unsure of what just happened or why it did. Part of him was afraid to let her go, lest she throw yet another hit at him. He wanted to tell her to stop being so serious, to calm down, to relax and let other people be nice to her. Nick wanted her to laugh, he'd never seen her laugh, he didn't know what to do to make her realize that no one needed her to prove anything here, that they were a team.

Nick didn't know how to articulate what he wanted, so he leaned forward, brushing his lips with hers.

Sara's eyes widened, looking at Nick's, who were also a bit shocked. At first she stiffened, knowing that she shouldn't let this happen that it wasn't professional. It wasn't at all, so she couldn't explain why, when he let her hands go, they traveled up his chest to his shoulders, or why her eyes closed at the same moment his did.

A/N: 30 minute challenge fic. Nothing has been changed or altered. Thanks for reading


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